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Permission to look elsewhere, Jaguars' assistant coaches are told

'Realistically, if I was a betting man, I’d say [we’re gone],' one Jags assistant says

Jaguars assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Greg Olson(from left), tight ends coach Bobby Johnson and head coach Mike Mularkey motion to players against the Raiders in a game on Oct. 21 in Oakland, Calif. The entire Jaguars coaching staff is now facing an uncertain future

Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey told his assistant coaches Friday they are free to pursue other job opportunities, a sign more changes are coming after owner Shad Khan hires a new general manager.

Mularkey said earlier in the week the staff was all under contract for 2013 so permission needed to be granted if another NFL or college team called to request an interview.

Now the coaches are free to make their own calls.

“Realistically, if I was a betting man, I’d say [we’re gone],” a Jaguars assistant coach said. “I don’t think there’s any other way you can look at it, and I’m an eternal optimist.”

The coaching staff went on vacation Tuesday and is scheduled to return to the EverBank Field offices on Wednesday.

It has been assumed Khan will give the new general manager the power to keep Mularkey or go in another direction.

The source said Mularkey met with Khan to ask him about the staff’s status.

“I guess Shad was non-committal,” the staff member said. “Mike had to let Shad know that by doing this [delaying], he’s hurting our opportunities to get other jobs.”

Asked what this means for Mularkey, the staffer said: “To me, Shad doesn’t want to handcuff the incoming GM, but Mike is holding a glimmer of hope.”

Among the coordinators and position coaches, Mularkey kept four coaches from Jack Del Rio’s staff and hired seven new coaches. A standard contract for a position coach is two years, but some NFL coordinators receive three-year deals.

Meanwhile, Khan continued his general manager search Friday.

A source confirmed Khan conducted an interview, believed to be with New York Giants director of college scouting Marc Ross.

Ross joins David Caldwell and Tom Gamble, the director of player personnel for Atlanta and San Francisco, respectively, as those whose talks with Khan have been confirmed.

The Ross interview means the Jaguars have complied with the “Rooney Rule” requiring teams to speak with at least one minority candidate.

Caldwell has met twice with Khan this week.

Arizona vice president of player personnel also Steve Keim continues to be linked to the Jaguars.

There is growing belief around the league that Caldwell will ultimately be Khan’s choice. None of the five other NFL teams looking for a general manager has made a hire yet.